Africa’s most frequent FIFA World Cup participants Cameroon begin their eighth tournament with a first-ever fixture against Switzerland, who helped to eliminate four-time winners Italy on the road to Qatar.
This is Switzerland’s 12th FIFA World Cup appearance. Ever-present since 2006, they have made it to a fifth successive tournament for the first time, having previously completed four straight appearances in 1954, when, as hosts, they reached the quarter-finals – their best performance. Switzerland have lost just two of their last 12 FIFA World Cup group-stage encounters, with no defeats in the last four.
Absent in 2018, having being upstaged by Nigeria, Cameroon are back for an eighth World Cup appearance in the last 11 tournaments and will be eager to end a run of seven successive defeats at the finals.
In 1990, they became the first African quarter-finalists, famously beating holders Argentina 1-0 in the opening match.
Key facts
• Three-time quarter-finalists, Switzerland are competing in their 12th FIFA World Cup and this is their fifth in a row, which represents their best-ever sequence of qualifications.
• Switzerland have not lost their opening match in their last five World Cup appearances (Win 2; Draw 3).
• Switzerland have successfully qualified from their group in four of their last five appearances at the FIFA World Cup.
• Cameroon have made more appearances at the FIFA World Cup than any other African nation; their qualification for Qatar 2022 extends their record to eight participations.
• Vincent Aboubakar, Nicolas Nkoulou and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting are the only members of the Cameroon squad with previous World Cup experience; all three are appearing at their third final competition.
Switzerland team facts
FIFA WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
Overall record: Play 37; Win 12; Draw 8; Lost 17; Goals For 50; Goals Against: 64 Goals Difference: -14
Biggest win: 4-1 Switzerland v. Italy (23/06/1954)/4-1 Switzerland v. Romania (22/06/1994)/3-0; Switzerland v. Honduras (25/06/2014
Biggest defeat: 0-5 Switzerland v. West Germany (12/07/1966)
Highest scoring draw: 2-2 twice, the last of which was v. Costa Rica (27/06/2018)
Highest scoring match: 12 goals – Austria 7-5 Switzerland (26/06/1954)
Most goals scored in a match: 5 goals – Austria 7-5 Switzerland (26/06/1954)
Most goals conceded in a match: 7 goals – Austria 7-5 Switzerland (26/06/1954)
Most goals scored at a FIFA World Cup: 11 – 1954 (4 matches)
Fewest goals scored at a FIFA World Cup: 1 (1966, 2010)
Most goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup: 11 – 1954 (4 matches)
Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup: 0 – 2006 (4 matches)
FIFA WORLD CUP STREAKS
Successive wins: 2 (1950-1954)/2 (2006)
Successive defeats: 7 (1954-1966)
Successive draws: 1 (eight times)
Successive matches without a defeat: 5 (2006-2010)
Successive matches without a win: 8 (1954-1994)
Successive matches with a goal scored: 4 (1934-1938)/4 (1954-1962)
Successive matches without scoring: 3 (1994-2006)
Successive clean sheets: 5 (2006-2010)
Cameroon team facts
FIFA WORLD CUP TEAM RECORDS
Overall record: Play 23; Win 4 ; Draw 7; Lost 12; Goals For 18; Goals Against: 43 Goal Differnec: -25
Biggest win: 2-1 Cameroon v. Romania (14/06/1990)/2-1 Cameroon v. Colombia (23/06/1990)/1-0 Cameroon v. Argentina (08/06/1990)/1-0 Cameroon v. Saudi Arabia (06/06/2002)
Biggest defeat: 1-6 Cameroon v. Russia (28/06/1994)
Highest scoring draw: 2-2 Cameroon v. Sweden (19/06/1994)
Highest scoring match: 7 goals – Cameroon 1-6 Russia (28/06/1994)
Most goals scored in a match: 2 – four times.
Most goals conceded in a match: 6 – Cameroon 1-6 Russia (28/06/1994)
Most goals scored at a FIFA World Cup: 7 – 1990 (5 matches)
Fewest goals scored at a FIFA World Cup: 1 – 1982, 2014 (3 matches)
Most goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup: 11 – 1994 (3 matches)
Fewest goals conceded at a FIFA World Cup: 1 – 1982 (3 matches)
FIFA WORLD CUP STREAKS
Successive wins: 2 (1990)
Successive defeats: 7 (2002-present)
Successive draws: 3 (1982)
Successive matches without a defeat: 5 (1982-1990)
Successive matches without a win: 8 (1990-2002)
Successive matches with a goal scored: 3 (three times)
Successive matches without scoring: 2 (three times)
